1. Hire an experienced criminal defense lawyer or firm because a conviction follows you for the rest of your life.

2. Hire a criminal defense attorney whose ability has been favorably rated by other local attorneys or by an independent organization.

3. Hire an attorney that frequently practices in the court where the case is pending.

4. Hire a criminal defense attorney that has a reputation for winning cases.

5. Hire a criminal defense lawyer that will give you an honest and fair analysis of your situation.

6. Ask about cost, and get a written contract.

7. Be comfortable with the criminal defense attorney you hire: trust your gut.

8. Hire a criminal lawyer that extensively practices criminal law and has experience in your type of case.

9. Tell the whole story during the consultation - it's protected by privilege and it's the only way to get an accurate analysis from the prospective attorney.

10. Take advantage of free legal consultations.

Lakeland Criminal Attorney

No criminal acts have as much stigma attached to them as those broadly referred to as "sex crimes" and they require an experienced and skilled attorney. Many people consider murder to be more defendable than child molestation or rape. The government requires many people convicted of these charges submit to registry as a sex offender. Once on the registry people can experience problems finding employment and housing, as these places will need to be informed of sex offender status. And these problems all occur after already serving probation or a jail sentence. The consequences of being charged with a sex crime are devastating. Even people who are not convicted can be social ostracized when friends and family learn about the charges.

Unfortunately, the subject of sex crimes are so taboo that it is hard to even find an unbiased jury. A good attorney will not only need to fight your charges, but remind the jury that you are innocent until the prosecution proves you guilty, not the other way around. In addition, your lawyer should help keep your trial out of the public eye to help save your reputation from getting tarnished by rumors that will rarely stop, even if you’re found innocent.

That is why a good trial lawyer will not only work to fight your charges, but also work to keep your charges out of the public eye. There are a number of charges that can be considered "sex crimes" including:

Child molestation

Sexual assault

Possession of child pornography

Sex offender registration violations

Statutory rape

Lewd behavior

When you are facing sex crime charges, we will do everything in our power to help you, including performing our own investigation and consulting forensic experts. We will ensure that your civil rights were not violated during your arrest and that charges have sufficient evidence, not just the testimony of the supposed victim.

If you have been charged with a sex crime, it is of the utmost importance that you hire an experienced lawyer to represent your case.

Selecting an attorney is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertising, before you decide, ask a lawyer to send you free written information about their qualifications and experience. I encourage you to meet with at least three different attorney’s before making a decision about whom to retain for your case. Contact the The Florida Bar at www.floridabar.org and receive a list of attorneys in your area.